World Snooker Championships: Ronnie O'Sullivan closes in on semi final spot

THE defending champ is 7-1 up against Stuart Bingham heading into today's session in Sheffield.

Ronnie O'Sullivan at the Betfair World Snooker Championship,The Crucible Theatre, Sheffield. April 2013

DEFENDING champ Ronnie O’Sullivan has one foot in the World Championship semi-finals after a dazzling display yesterday.

The “Rocket” roared into a commanding
7-1 lead over fellow Essex potter Stuart Bingham after a majestic opening session in their quarter-final Crucible clash.

And the four-time world champion’s stunning start in Sheffield means he could now win with a session to spare today at snooker’s showcase tournament.

O’Sullivan
was back to his vintage best as he reeled off seven frames on the spin to leave Bingham’s hopes hanging in the balance.

But
Bingham at least spared himself the embarrassment of being whitewashed by O’Sullivan when he won the final frame of the session.

Breaks
of 79 and 54 saw O’Sullivan win the opening frame, before last year’s champion doubled his advantage by winning a scrappy second frame.

A
fine century of 111 followed and a break of 60 as well helped O’Sullivan ease into a deserved 4-0 interval lead. And it got even better after the break as O’Sullivan, bidding to win a fifth title, pocketed breaks of 87 and 133 – his sixth century of the tournament – on the way to establishing a 6-0 lead.

A break of 78 followed in the next frame as O’Sullivan closed in on a session whitewash.
That was only achieved once last season when Matthew Stevens powered 8-0 ahead of fellow Welshman Ryan Day after the opening session of their
second-round match.

But Bingham, who was forced to spend much of the afternoon watching a potting masterclass, bagged the last frame of the session to keep his faint hopes of progressing alive.